JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars will stay together.

That's a necessary thing two games into the regular season, and Doug Pederson said it's absolutely a critical thing as the team prepares for its 2024 prime-time debut.

These aren't easy times. In such times, the players' unity matters.

"It's everything," Pederson said.

Pederson, in his third season as the Jaguars' head coach, spoke to the media Monday – a day after an 18-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns in the 2024 regular-season home opener at EverBank Stadium. The loss means the Jaguars – who finished 9-8 each of the past two seasons –are 0-2, with players late Sunday afternoon discussing the need to remain focused and as one.

"They're on board," Pederson said.

Pederson said he saw evidence of that Monday in the wake of a seventh loss in eight games dating to last season.

"We've had many guys in here today already," Pederson said early Monday afternoon. "They've come up, talked to the coaches and wanted to sit down and go through the tape. They understand they have to play better. We have to coach better. It's a group effort.

"It's no particular one person or one position group or one side of the ball. There are enough mistakes to fix, enough things where we can get better, but the fact that the players are united and locked in and focused that way is a good sign."

Pederson, too, said he liked quarterback Trevor Lawrence's response to the loss. Lawrence during his post-game media availability Sunday said the Jaguars "suck right now," calling for accountability from players and coaches.

"That's what you want from your leader," Pederson said. "I don't want anybody to sugarcoat anything. Stuff that gets swept under the rug is what gets you beat. We have to keep everything in the forefront. We have to keep it in the front of our minds."

Pederson also noted that Lawrence "is the franchise" – and as such, is the appropriate player to make such statements.

"He's the starting quarterback," Pederson said. "He's the one back there with the football making the decision. I appreciate the fact that he's taking that role and that lead. It may not be in his nature to do it, but you know what? He has to do it. I'm excited for that."

Pederson said he expects players to respond positively to Lawrence.

"They're going to support him 100 times over," Pederson said. "It's a two-way street. The players will hold him accountable, too. I can appreciate that from him."

Pederson added, "That's part of the maturity, growing up in this league. He's a competitor and he wants to win. We all want to win. Sometimes, you have to be assertive in your leadership and it's good to see."

QUOTABLE

• Pederson as the Jaguars begin preparing to play the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium In Orchard Park. N.Y., on Monday Night Football in Week 3: "It's a week-to-week business. We have to correct the negative and the things that are going wrong, but I also have to look at the positive and what's being put out there. It's a little bit of a fine line. We are where we are right now. We just have to focus on Buffalo this week."

NOTABLE

• Pederson on Monday said tight end Evan Engramis a "week-to-week deal" after missing Sunday's game with a hamstring injury sustained in warmups. "We just have to see," Pederson said. "Hamstrings can be funny, so it's kind of a week-to-week deal." Running back Tank Bigsbyreturned to Sunday's game after sustaining a first-half shoulder injury. Pederson said other players who sustained injuries Sunday – wide receiver Gabe Davis (shoulder), right tackle Anton Harrisonand safety Andre Cisco– are "fine."

NOTABLE

• Among the Jaguars' inactive players Sunday: Defensive lineman Maason Smith, a second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. "You have 53 players [on the roster] each week, and I get a chance to select the 48 [who are active], Pederson said. "It kind of goes, too, off the prior week. It's not necessarily what Maason did [in Week 1]. Guys like Big O (Esezi Otomewo) and Jeremiah [Ledbetter] also had had good weeks of preparation and practice. It's just an opportunity for Maason to learn and put himself in a position this week to try to be to be elevated. It was nothing that he didn't do. It was the fact that Jeremiah and Big O had opportunities to be up this week."